KUALA LUMPUR: Laws proposed to curb fake news will apply to all instead it just being confined to politics.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said there was an increase in fake news of late, hence the need to clamp down on its rise.
"If what is being spread is not fake news then why the need for concern? The laws are to protect victims of fake news who should be offered justice as well," he said in a blog post titled "Disinformation and fake news is a threat to democracy" today.
Salleh was commenting on claims by Pakatan Harapan leaders who groused that the new laws were meant to conceal the truth.
Salleh said that even the West is beginning to relook at the freedom of speech and it now regards disinformation and fake news as a threat to democracy.
He said that Britain, considered to be the bastion of democracy and free speech, is also mulling new laws to combat the problem of people abusing freedom of speech.
"Democracy and freedom of speech need to be protected from disinformation and fake news. So we need to uphold its sanctity by clamping down on the abuse of freedom of speech by those who spread disinformation and fake news," he said.
It was reported that the proposed law is expected to be presented by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said at the next Cabinet meeting.